Rudy Clay for Mayor


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	DID YOU KNOW THAT . . . The majority owners of the Gary Southshore Baseball Team are attorneys from an Indianapolis-based law firm named Baker and Daniels, who also has a lucrative contract with the City of Gary. The owners call themselves Southshore Baseball, a limited liability company. Formerly the Northwest Sports Ventures, LLC, the owners live in South Bend, Fort Wayne, St. Louis, Missouri; Chesterton, Indiana; and one investor lives in Gary . . . the owners / investors paid "NO MONEY UP FRONT" to the City of Gary. But in Joliet, Illinois, the owners paid the City of Joliet $1.5 million "up front" and $200,000 per year. DID YOU KNOW THAT . . . The owners of Gary's baseball team recently leased the baseball stadium from the City of Gary that cost Gary taxpayers $54 million to build, and seats only 5800 people. It's the most expensive stadium with the least number of seats ever built in the history of the United States. This agreement was developed by some of the owners and the mayor of Gary. It was signed by the mayor, deputy mayor, city controller and funded by six out of nine votes on the Gary City Council (against strong public opposition). The agreement was not signed by the president of the redevelopment commission, who is also the deputy mayor and was not signed by the city attorney. DID YOU KNOW THAT . . . The taxpayers of Gary will also build a so-called "stadium club" for the team owners inside the stadium which is a fully equipped restaurant and bar that will cost Gary taxpayers $2 million dollars to construct. The Railcats owners will rent the "club" to the Bennigans Restaurant chain and will collect ALL the rent form the Bennigans for 15 years. The City of Gary receives NOTHING from the rent. The taxpayers of Gary will also pay the Nipsco and insurance bills for Bennigans. The taxpayers of Gary are also responsible for paying millions of dollars for the stadium utilities, security, waste removal, maintenance, sewer, water service, janitorial services, etc. The city will also pay for all the food service equipment, etc. But in all other stadiums, such as the one in Joliet, Illinois, most of these items are the responsibility of the team owners! Joliet Stadium was built this year, cost $20 million and seats 5,000 people. It was built on casino money. Gary's stadium cost $54 million. In Indianapolis they built a stadium that seats 16,000 people, cost $20 million and is home of a "Triple A" minor league team affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. Gary's team is NOT affiliated with any major league team. DID YOU KNOW THAT . . . The Gary baseball team owners, according to the agreement, will also receive approximately $50,000 of Gary taxpayers' money per game for each home game missed. This year the team missed 45 home games! In essence, the team owners will receive $2.2 million dollars for NOT playing baseball in Gary for the year 2002 because the stadium was not ready. The mayor has taken money from city department budgets to pay this debt, and still owes $500,000. Tim Haffner of Fort Wayne, Indiana, one of the team owners, said, "We were entitled to more, but..." ALSO, because the stadium isn't ready this year, the mayor agreed not to have the owners pay any of the $150,000 annual lease money to the city for the first three years of the 15-year lease... saving the owners $450,000. DID YOU KNOW THAT . . . According to the agreement, the City of Gary will be "allowed" by the team owners to keep only one luxury skybox in the stadium, but the city will give the owners 17 skyboxes that they can RENT OUT and KEEP THE PROFITS... NOTHING TO THE CITY. The city of Gary will pay approximately $1 million annually of taxpayers money to NIPSCO to provide the heat and air conditioning for the sky boxes which contains TV, carpet, wet bar, refrigerator, telephones, etc. In contrast, the city of Lansing, Michigan keeps all the money from renting the skyboxes at its stadium. The team owners will also collect and retain, during baseball games, all of the profits generated within the stadium form the sale of food, alcohol, souvenirs, broadcasting, advertising, etc. DID YOU KNOW THAT . . . The City of Gary, will erect a $1 million scoreboard, pay all the utilities to light it up, and all of the profits from the advertising on the scoreboard will go to the team owners! NOTHING TO THE CITY. The City of Gary will pay employees to park the cars and maintain the parking areas, work the concession stands, will pay for all maintenance on the stadium, including mowing the lawn, snow removal, stocking all restrooms with paper products, pickup trash, etc. at no charge to the owners. The city will also provide uniformed Gary police officers as security guards at NO CHARGE to the team owners! In contrast, the city of Lansing, Michigan provide their own security guards. DID YOU KNOW THAT . . . The owners of the Gary baseball team will use the Gary stadium for 45 home games, as well as 10 owner-sponsored events. The owners of the team will allow the city to use the stadium for city sponsored events, but only if the city puts in a request to the owners 14 days prior to the event. And the team owners must receive 80 percent of the profits of all items sold at city-sponsored events, such as concerts, gospel fests, etc. If the stadium is wholly or partly destroyed, the City of Gary must rebuild it for the team owners within 180 days or pay them for damages and lost profits. Gary taxpayers will pay approximately $120,000 annually for insurance on the stadium. Last, but not least, if the PAID admission attendance is less than 2,500 people per game, the team owners have a right at the end of the season to terminate the agreement by providing the city with a 90-day notice. Well, there it is. You have a right to know - since IT'S YOUR MONEY! Sources: Stadium license, use and service agreement (on file in City of Gary Law Dept.) Post-Tribune Newspaper The Times Newspaper Indianapolis Star Newspaper







			Clay gives fundraiser to build more wheelchair ramps. Click here.


			*There is a change in the way lots can be disposed of. Click here.*


			*Clay proposes using casino funds to pay property taxes for senior citizens. Click here.*


			*Clay holds the "Toys for Kids that Santa Claus Forgot" program. Click here.*